Employers can start by being understanding, rewarding and flexible
"The attitude around here is that the floggings will continue until morale improves,” laughed my friend Tony. His company, an old-line manufacturer, was facing a number of problems. They had a militant union, managers were being forced to work long hours, burnout was high and turnover was constant.
“We are the meat on the sandwich,” he said. “Below us we have staff who could not care less what we have to say and above us we have management who have no idea what we do.”
In spite of some of the best wages in the industry, this company was dealing with high sick leave and struggling to retain good people.
Everybody knows the data — boomers are retiring, there are four generations in the workplace and there is a talent shortage. This is becoming critical in all sectors of the economy, especially the public sector, where there are strict limits on what people can be paid. So, what do people want? How can you attract and retain the best talent, especially if you are limited in how much compensation you can offer?
Before answering these questions, take a moment and think about yourself. You, after all, are the very person an organization would want to keep. Imagine you have a choice between two employers.
Organization A offers a great environment. You are respected and given flex time when needed to handle personal matters. The work has meaning and your opinion counts.
Organization B is very negative, full of unbending rules and unwritten norms. Nobody really cares or wants your ideas and your peers see you as a threat. The only advantage organization B has over organization A is it is willing to pay $10,000 a year more.
Most people are going to opt for organization A. That’s why these seven ways to attract and retain talent work.
1. Understand the current culture: There is often a disconnect between the culture an employer actually has and the one it thinks it has. HR professionals should ask themselves: Does the current culture accept difference in others? Is there flexibility? How do current staff feel about working there? How are people promoted and rewarded?
Many organizations write wonderful mission statements that have great values in them. However, they are only words. Actions speak much louder. An organization may say it values innovation, yet when people are promoted for keeping their heads low and not rocking the boat, the clear message is the organization values conformity.
2. Meaningful work: Nobody ever goes to work and says to themselves in the morning, “Gee, I want to be really mediocre today.” Recognition is an important component to meaningful work. When you recognize people for their accomplishments, they feel their work has significance.
3. Build career entrepreneurship: When employers provide career entrepreneurship, they are moving from the loyalty mindset to a commitment one. In a loyalty mindset, people are rewarded for being around for a long time. In a commitment culture, organizations clearly define what individuals are being offered in return for their services and provide internal career coaching to empower people to manage their careers.
How do you build career entrepreneurship? Allow people to set their career goals, provide them with the tools to reach those goals and let them measure their accomplishments. Helping people set their own road map and then allowing them to succeed will ensure people are engaged.
4. Create a flexible work environment: This is a no brainer, where possible. That’s because work-life balance is consistently ranked as one of the most important factors in attracting and retaining talent.
5. Understand and embrace real diversity: Real diversity means going beyond issues of gender, ethnicity or age. It means embracing people who think differently. Many organizations are looking for people with industry or corporate experience. There are a lot of very talented people who have owned their own businesses, worked in different industries or have experience outside Canada. The fit an organization should be most concerned with is whether a person believes in the organization’s values.
6. Streamline the hiring process: The decision-making process in many organizations takes too long. It seems everybody has to be part of the interview and decision-making process — even the janitor. People respond positively to the organization when the process is fast and efficient.
7. Onboarding: Before new hires start, map out a 100-day plan for them. Provide them with a mentor or buddy who can help them adjust to the new workplace. The first 100 days are critical for helping people feel “part of the team” and, when they do, they are more engaged and committed to the organization and its goals.
Michael Rosenberg is a partner at OYG Consulting in Brampton, Ont., and author of The Flexible Thinker and co-author of The Flexible Thinker: A Guide to Extreme Career Performance. You can sign up for his free bi-weekly newsletter at www.oyginc.com.
“We are the meat on the sandwich,” he said. “Below us we have staff who could not care less what we have to say and above us we have management who have no idea what we do.”
In spite of some of the best wages in the industry, this company was dealing with high sick leave and struggling to retain good people.
Everybody knows the data — boomers are retiring, there are four generations in the workplace and there is a talent shortage. This is becoming critical in all sectors of the economy, especially the public sector, where there are strict limits on what people can be paid. So, what do people want? How can you attract and retain the best talent, especially if you are limited in how much compensation you can offer?
Before answering these questions, take a moment and think about yourself. You, after all, are the very person an organization would want to keep. Imagine you have a choice between two employers.
Organization A offers a great environment. You are respected and given flex time when needed to handle personal matters. The work has meaning and your opinion counts.
Organization B is very negative, full of unbending rules and unwritten norms. Nobody really cares or wants your ideas and your peers see you as a threat. The only advantage organization B has over organization A is it is willing to pay $10,000 a year more.
Most people are going to opt for organization A. That’s why these seven ways to attract and retain talent work.
1. Understand the current culture: There is often a disconnect between the culture an employer actually has and the one it thinks it has. HR professionals should ask themselves: Does the current culture accept difference in others? Is there flexibility? How do current staff feel about working there? How are people promoted and rewarded?
Many organizations write wonderful mission statements that have great values in them. However, they are only words. Actions speak much louder. An organization may say it values innovation, yet when people are promoted for keeping their heads low and not rocking the boat, the clear message is the organization values conformity.
2. Meaningful work: Nobody ever goes to work and says to themselves in the morning, “Gee, I want to be really mediocre today.” Recognition is an important component to meaningful work. When you recognize people for their accomplishments, they feel their work has significance.
3. Build career entrepreneurship: When employers provide career entrepreneurship, they are moving from the loyalty mindset to a commitment one. In a loyalty mindset, people are rewarded for being around for a long time. In a commitment culture, organizations clearly define what individuals are being offered in return for their services and provide internal career coaching to empower people to manage their careers.
How do you build career entrepreneurship? Allow people to set their career goals, provide them with the tools to reach those goals and let them measure their accomplishments. Helping people set their own road map and then allowing them to succeed will ensure people are engaged.
4. Create a flexible work environment: This is a no brainer, where possible. That’s because work-life balance is consistently ranked as one of the most important factors in attracting and retaining talent.
5. Understand and embrace real diversity: Real diversity means going beyond issues of gender, ethnicity or age. It means embracing people who think differently. Many organizations are looking for people with industry or corporate experience. There are a lot of very talented people who have owned their own businesses, worked in different industries or have experience outside Canada. The fit an organization should be most concerned with is whether a person believes in the organization’s values.
6. Streamline the hiring process: The decision-making process in many organizations takes too long. It seems everybody has to be part of the interview and decision-making process — even the janitor. People respond positively to the organization when the process is fast and efficient.
7. Onboarding: Before new hires start, map out a 100-day plan for them. Provide them with a mentor or buddy who can help them adjust to the new workplace. The first 100 days are critical for helping people feel “part of the team” and, when they do, they are more engaged and committed to the organization and its goals.
Michael Rosenberg is a partner at OYG Consulting in Brampton, Ont., and author of The Flexible Thinker and co-author of The Flexible Thinker: A Guide to Extreme Career Performance. You can sign up for his free bi-weekly newsletter at www.oyginc.com.
